On April 12, US State Department Secretary Anthony Blinken presented the department's report on the observance of human rights in the countries of the world in 2021.

The 32-page section on Turkmenistan notes that in 2021, parliamentary elections were held in the country, during which the incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was elected chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty (upper house of parliament), thus heading both the executive and legislative branches of government .

The report includes a long list of violations, including those described in independent Turkmen media, including:

• Extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment by police and prison officials;

• harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons;

• Arrests and persecution of opposition activists, dissident and independent journalists, including those abroad, as well as their relatives;

• restrictions on the Internet, including censorship, blocking sites and VPN applications;

• violations of the right of citizens to freedom of assembly, including restrictive laws on the creation, funding and ability to operate non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations;

• restrictions and persecution of international human rights organizations;

• particularly severe violations of citizens' rights to freedom of religion;

• Violations of the rights to freedom of movement and the right to leave the country;

• the impossibility of citizens to influence the policy of the state and the change of power through free and fair elections;

• massive government corruption;

• lack of investigation and accountability for gender-based violence;

• existence of laws criminalizing homosexual relations between consenting adults;

• severe restrictions on workers' freedom of assembly (trade unions), as well as forced and child labor.

The report notes that in 2021, civil servants and intelligence officers violated human rights and engaged in corrupt activities with impunity.

Details and specific examples of violations can be found in the report at the link (in English).

In March 2022, the US State Department published statement supporting the OSCE's position on the 2022 presidential elections in Turkmenistan, noting that the country's government failed to create conditions for a free, fair and competitive electoral process.

“We urge the government of Turkmenistan to accept the recommendations of the ODIHR to bring the electoral system in line with the described standards,” the US Foreign Office said.

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan